HOUSTON – Houston Mayor John Whitmire will outline a collaborative strategy on Thursday to reduce homelessness in Houston and transition people off the streets into supportive environments.
A press conference at 2 p.m. will outline a plan to reduce the number of individuals sleeping on the streets through outreach, housing, enforcement, and reclaiming public spaces.
KPRC 2 will livestream the press conference within this article.
The plan aims to reduce the number of individuals sleeping on the streets by focusing on outreach, housing, enforcement, and reclaiming public spaces.
“The Supreme Court ruled recently that we can insist that people leave the streets,” Whitmire said. “Now, Houston does have an ordinance that you can sleep on the streets after 11 we’re going address that at city council and say you can no longer have a bed roll and just sleep on the streets of Houston.”
BACKGROUND: Houston mayor says new initiative will help unhoused find a home
The initiative will involve collaboration with organizations such as the Homeless Coalition, the Houston Housing Authority, and Homeland Security.
The goal is to transition individuals into temporary housing facilities where they can access essential services, including showers, sanitation facilities, and meals provided by the Food Bank.
Caseworkers will be available to address mental health issues and work towards securing permanent affordable housing or reuniting individuals with their families.
Mayor Whitmire clarified that the approach is not about criminalizing homelessness but about providing a supportive environment.
He said, “You’ve got to have them in a location that you can interview them, provide for them; showers, port-o-cans, the Food Bank will feed them.”
SEE ALSO: Resource guide for unhoused individuals in the Houston area
Further details, including the location of the temporary housing facilities and the number of individuals they will accommodate, are expected to be disclosed during today’s press conference.
The mayor’s office has indicated that the plan will be rolled out in the coming weeks as the city works to secure appropriate locations for the initiative
